What Qualifies a Spa to Be a Medical Spa?

2 years ago

There seems to be a growth in medical spas, but I have heard many of them don't even have a doctor there on a regular basis. If it is not having a doctor on site, what exactly qualifies a spa as a medical spa?

Doctor Answers (2)

Buyer - and patient - Beware!

It seems that "medical spas" keep popping up like Starbucks. You can find them on almost any street corner or mall these days.

It is important to know that the requirements (if any) for a facility to call itself a medical spa vary from state to state. Some states (like Massachusetts) require a medical spa to be affiliated with a physician. They do NOT however, specify what kind of physician! Other states have no such requirements.

When receiving ANY aesthetic procedure, the most important thing to do is find out WHO will be providing the treatment and WHAT their qualifications are.

For treatments like laser, fillers, and Botox that can significantly alter your appearance, make sure that you are being treated by a physician and that they have received training in this procedure. The best way to do this is to make sure your doctor is Board Certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery.

You can easily check to see if your doctor is board certified and in WHICH specialty by visiting the website listed below.

Medical Spa

July 18th, 2011

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A true medical spa thus combines pampering spa treatments with medical-grade skin care treatments and products that provide visible results. For safety and best results look for a medical spa that is owned and operated by an on-site plastic surgeon. As a plastic surgeon, I believe wholeheartedly in the importance of a professional, scientifically-based skin care regimen. In my California practice, I frequently referred surgical patients to local medical aestheticians in order to prepare their skin for surgery, and to maintain the health and vitality of the skin following surgery, facial resurfacing or other procedures.

In my medical spa, we have fully integrated the aesthetic surgery office and medical spa. The advantage of this approach is that all of an individual's aesthetic needs can be met in one location, where the combined expertise of the surgeon, nursing staff and medical aestheticians is used to determine the most appropriate treatment plan for each client.

Skin Care Pictures

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